You are so much away, and he
is company for me, and very little trouble. I shall miss him dreadfully
when he goes."

"Of course I don't mind," her father said. "Only, Laura, is it fair to
keep him here--fair to him, I mean? The longer he stays the harder it
will be for him to go to a strange place."

"I suppose you are right," Laura admitted with a sigh, "and I must find
the home for him at once."

"But be sure it is a good place, and with a woman who will 'mother'
him," the judge added. "Poor little chap--only nine and lame, and alone
in the world. It's hard lines."

"It would seem so," his daughter admitted, "and yet, Jim is such a brave
honest little fellow, and he has such a gift for making friends, that
perhaps he is not so badly handicapped, after all. I shall miss him
dreadfully when he leaves us."

X

SADIE PAGE

But the finding of a satisfactory home for the boy proved to be no easy
task. At the end of the two weeks Laura was still carrying on the quest.
When she told Jim that he was to stay with her another week the look in
his eyes brought the tears into hers. For the first time she dared to
put her arms about him and hold him close, and Jim stayed there, his
head on her shoulder, trying his best to swallow the lump in his throat.
When he lifted his head he said in a shaky voice, "G--gee! But I'm
glad!"

"Not a bit gladder than I am, Jim," Laura said, "and now we must have a
bit of a celebration to-night. Father is dining out, so we'll have
supper up in the nursery and we'll invite somebody. Who shall it be?"

She thought he would say Jo Barton, but instead he said, "Olga."

"Olga?" she repeated doubtfully. "I'm not at all sure that she will
come, but I'll ask her. I'll write a note now and send it to the place
where she works."

Jim gave a little happy skip. He ignored his lameness so absolutely that
often Laura too almost forgot it. "I guess she'll come," he said in the
singing voice he used when he was especially pleased.

Olga was just starting for home when the note reached her. She scowled
as she read.

"Dear Olga: Jim wants you to come to supper with us--just with
him and me--to-night at 6:30. I shall be very glad if you will,
for, aside from the pleasure of having you with us, I want to
talk over with you something that concerns Elizabeth. Please
don't fail us.

"Yours faithfully,